Oh Oakland, You Grown On Me

As any slightly dedicated reader of my blog knows (I like to pretend there’s a few of you), the Fox Theater in Oakland is my favorite place to catch a show. I’m probably there at least once a month (although I aim for less than once a week). Two Fridays ago I was there for the second night of Alt-J, an English indie rock quartet. According to their Wikipedia page, they formed in 2007 but didn't release their debut album until 2012. The first few years was just them jamming in their college dorm. Interesting fact: The band's unusual sound stems from the fact that due to living in student halls, noise had to be kept to a minimum and so they were unable to use bass guitars or bass drums. They were then signed to a label in 2011. The band is actually one of the more interesting ones I've read about. There’s a clear adoration of triangles, with two different ways to decipher their name and on the album cover. I actually spent a while at the merch table trying to find secret triangles in one of their concert shirts. At the show we got tickets a little late in the game and ended up in the balcony, which I’m not a huge fan of but is sometimes okay for a more chill show. I’m actually glad we were up there for this show, as they had one of the most beautiful lighting/special effects shows I've ever seen. They used the fog to create geometric shapes in the fog. The majority of the show was back lit  as these are not egocentric guys, which gave it a dramatic effect. The colors and lights changed every song and were very reflective of the mood/beat of each song. They only have one album, so it was a short show but they played every song. They have a very apparent zealous fan following, as most of the audience knew every single song. They didn't even sing the chorus of “Matilda,” as the crowd more than carried it. And who could resist a song that references “Where the Wild Things Are” (found in Breezeblocks)? The only negative thing I have to say is that I really wasn't as fan of their opener, Canadian band Royal Canoe. To me they sounded like an unpolished garage band but in the restroom I overheard two girls raving about them, so to each their own.

Last Friday I was back at the Fox for Big Gigantic, a two man group from Boulder, CO. If you ever go to the Fox on the first Friday of the month, take a stroll down Telegraph and check out the art murmur, First Friday. We went to dinner at Mua Lounge beforehand, which is my new favorite Oakland food spot (review to follow). The Big Gigantic show was interesting. Definitely a fun group to dance to. Feeling that “electronica” is a label that does not fairly cover their sound, I looked them up on Wikipedia too. They are described as an “instrumental livetronica, hip-hop and jazz musical group.” The best way I can paint a picture is imagine Justice but then take the electronica down a notch and add in a killer saxophone. Seriously, the guy who played the saxophone absolutely killed it. The light show was pretty stellar and almost felt like being at a Pretty Lights show. I don’t think I could sit around listening to their music but the live show is a lot of fun so if they come through your town or are playing at a festival, go check them out. Very high energy and an entertaining crowd.

Musical May

I was worried after April, and all of its Fauxchella fun, was over. What will I do on the weekends? How will I keep disintegrating my ear drums bit by bit? What if I get too much sleep on weeknights? Never fear, May was chalk full with great acts coming through town.

The month kicked off with Bottle Rock 5/8-5/12. I'll admit, I'm getting told old for a four day music festival so I went with the 3 day pass. This was the very first year of Bottle Rock, which takes place in Napa. A music festival in wine country? Yes please! Word on the street is that they got a 10 year contract, so this festival will be around for many more years to come. There was a little shadiness, as the fest got approval from the Expo board without consulting the city. The verdict is still out on if Bottle Rock hurt or helped Napa, but overall it sounds like the 35-40,000 attendees made most business happy. The lineup was pretty solid. I'd have to say my favorites were The Flaming Lips. Wayne puts on a crazy show with plenty of lights and lasers. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros were pretty good too. I unfortunately missed Allen Stone, a soul and R&B musician from Washington, who's on the cusp of blowing up. I'll probably go next year, although I hope it's less hot next time. The lineup will hopefully be just as solid and the food/wine selection was one of the best I've seen in a while. Hopefully they'll finesse all the first year issues (namely the disastrous parking situation and the dust). Tip: Book your place to stay up there as soon as dates are announced, all hotels/airbnbs will fill up fast!

Next up I caught Dragonette and The Presets at the Fox Theater in Oakland. When you look out into the crowd and it's just women, gay men, glow sticks and sparkles, you know it's going to be damn good party. I've seen Dragonette live before and love them. Martina Sorbara, the lead singer, knows how to get the dance party started. She's energetic and gives her all no matter the size or enthusiasm of the crowd. I liked them better than The Presets, although they were good too. It's just with The Presets (a two man Australian electro duo with vocals, drums and keyboards), they're stuck behind their instruments which can limit the stage energy unless you're someone like Justice.

After that, we hit Tame Impala, which was also at the Fox but had a completely different feel. Walking into the Tame Impala show was like walking into the 70s, completely with psychedelic lights and weed. When bands play slow jams these days, everyone usually holds up their cell phone lights. At this how everyone actually held up legit lighters! I forgot how beautiful that looks. Tame Impala is a rock band that reminds me almost of the Australian version of someone like Dinosaur Jr, which more funk thrown in. Elephant is probably their most well know song but my favorite is Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.

Last weekend I went to Mumford & Sons at the Greek Theater, a gorgeous outdoor amphitheater in the hills of the UC Berkeley campus (seriously, we parked at a frat house). I love Mumford and these days it's hard to find people who don't, they've gotten so big. They played three nights straight at the Greek, which sold out in minutes. For those of you living in a cave, this four man English folk band formed in 2007 hit the scene big in 2009 with their release of "Sign No More," which won them the Grammy for "Best New Artist." In 2012, they release their second album "Babel," which in my opinion is just as good as their earlier stuff. Seeing them live is great because they really put their all into it and interact with the crowd. They were able to get the entire Greek Theater (8,500 seats + the lawn) to be completely silent while they played a couple acoustic songs, which was amazing to behold. While you never really know if artists are telling the truth, they said this was the most silent they've ever gotten a large crowd to be and a memory they would treasure. Regardless, it was a pretty great show.

Last Saturday (and technically in June), we went back to the Greek (should have just slept there, is this an option??) for the xx. Again, another English band, who started as an indie duo and added on 2 more once they started touring. Their sound is hard to explain. It's a little electro, a little instrumental, with almost eerie whispering vocals. They hit it big with Crystalised in 2009. They release "Coexist" in 2012. The lead duo is a introverted, so it's a totally different experience and while I love them, I could take them or leave them live. They did have a pretty decent light show with some cool lasers (you can't go wrong with lasers). When at the Greek though I hate being up in the seats because you can't stand up and dance.

Music In March Part I

When I was living in Minneapolis I always hated the fact that there were no good shows November through March. I just assumed that no music, sane or coke-addled, wanted to be in Minnesota in the winter. Which is a pretty sensible theory. But now after living in California for two "winters," it seems like bands just don't want to tour at all in those months. I only went to ONE show last month, which is just sad for me. It was local-grown band Two Gallants playing at the Fillmore, so at least it was good enough to tide things over for a while.

Come 3/1 I was ready to rock and luckily Starfucker was in town. For those of you who've never heard of Starfucker, you may have seen the acronym STRFKR around (not to be confused with SBTRKT the London born DJ). STRFKR is an electronica band from Portland. The song they are most for is Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second. And no, I have no idea why it's called that. They were playing at The Regency Ballroom, which is one of the best larger venues in SF. I went in expecting a good show but nothing mind blowing and it by far exceeded my expectations. It's probably one of the best shows I've been to in a long time. They were really able to get the crowd energy up and get people dancing. They were dropping brightly covered balloons and confetti from the ceiling. In a very Girl Talk move, they pulled a bunch of dressed up, crazy hipsters on stage to do have a dance party/rave behind the band. In the encore they included the best cover ever of Girl Just Wanna Have Fun. If you're looking for a carefree dance party, definitely check them out.

Last Thursday I went to Passion Pit at the Bill Graham Civic Center Auditorium. I hate the Bill Graham. It's giant, in the ghetto, lacks so much personality it feels like you're in an airport hanger and for some reason attracts the kind of show that 14 year old girls show up to in furry boots, fishnets, and underwear. Yeah, nothing makes you feel older than being in that type of the situation.The first opener was Icona Pop, who just hit it big with I Love It. In preparation for the show, I checked out their whole EP and it's filled with awesome electro-pop songs.And I found out their first big thing was being sampled on Chiddy Bang's Mind Your Manners and I've been obsessed with Chiddy Bang for a couple years. Sadly, we did not make it early enough to catch them. However, I'm sure they'll be touring on their own soon enough and I will definitely catch that. The second opener was Matt + Kim, who I've seen several times and I'm kind of over them. I'm actually surprised they're still playing to such big venues since I haven't liked a song of theirs since 2008. Finally it was time for Passion Pit and they were well worth the wait. I found out yesterday that Passion Pit got discovered when lead singer Michael Angelakos produced "Chunk of Change" for his girlfriend on Valentine's Day. Talk about the best gift ever! For those of you unfamiliar, "Chuck of Change" has one of their big hits, Sleepyhead. The show was very energetic, although I prefer them at a smaller venue. All and all, a good evening of music. 

Thankfully "winter" is almost over and it's almost time for Fauxchella in San Francisco!

The Shows of September

Let me preface this by saying I'm really, really trying to cut back on the amount of shows I go to. It just didn't work this month. Oops. Well, technically this is less than August! Here's quick snapshot of some amazing bands that made their way through San Francisco last month. 

I went to Slim's in SOMA for the first time ever and it's now one of my favorite venues in this city. The tickets are cheap, the crowd is the right amount of raucous, the drinks are affordable and the space is the perfect size. I was lucky enough to see The Heavy here for my first experience. The Heavy is a British rock band with strong instrumentals and saucy vocals. Their music almost has a vintage sound, like classic R&B. Their stage energy reminds me of Fitz & the Tantrums. They get everybody dancing and singing a long. Next time the tour the US I would definitely recommend checking them out. Some of my favorites singles of theirs are How You Like Me Now? and Colleen.

Later that week I went to my main spot, the Fox Theater in Oakland, to check out The Tallest Man On Earth. One of the friends I went with introduced me to his music and I was definitely impressed by what I heard online. While I'll be honest that I didn't catch the whole set, I was even more impressed by him live. The Tallest Man On Earth is Kristian Matsson from Sweden and he's actually pretty short. However, he's so charismatic on stage that it makes up for any lack of height. He's pretty much a one-man-band with an occasion backup support guy. At one point he was playing so hard his guitar string snapped but he just tossed it over his shoulder and kept on going. His style could be classified as indie folk, but he also is reminiscent of American folk from the 1970s. His voice is often compared to that of Bob Dylan, though I think that's a bit of a stretch. These days I'd classify him in the same category as Mumford & Sons or Bon Iver. Great music for an evening of chilling at home.

After that, I was back at the Fox Theater the week after for Hot Chip, which was a lot less mellow and a lot more dance party. Hot Chip is a Euro-Indie-Electric-Synth band (I think I just invented this genre) from London. They've been around since 2000 and are a great addition to any upbeat party or dance off. The band is bigger than I realized (5-7 guys). Their lighting and stage setup was very apropos for their sound. My only wish is that they had talked and interacted with the audience a little more, as many of these people have been huge fans for 10+ years. Still a great show though, so I recommend catching them if they swing through town. My favorites and some of their biggest known singles include Ready For the Floor and Night & Day.

At the end of September I saw Dragonette at the Mezzanine in SOMA. The Mezzanine hosts a lot of electronic, synth and DJ shows. They have a great space for it, but make sure you go on a night when there's a good show. Otherwise it turns into a rather drug-filled rave with people who appear to have fake IDs. This show was a great dance party and in my opinion a lot more energetic than the Hot Chip show. Dragonette is a Canadian electronic band, with songs verging on an 80s/90s vibe. I love the lead singer, Martina Sorbara. She has great energy, slightly reminiscent of Robyn. While the mainstream may have heard of Dragonette from their part in Martin Solveig's "Hello," I think some of their best singles are Let It Go and Fixin To Thrill.

Delta Spirit Lights Up the Fillmore

The very best outcome of a show is when you see a band, either someone you somewhat like or don't really know much about, and they end up blowing your mind. This was my experience when seeing Delta Spirit at the Fillmore last Thursday night.

I've already raved about how much I adore The Fillmore. So far, my favorite venues in the Bay Area are the Fox Theater in Oakland, the Greek Theater in Berkeley and the Fillmore in SF. It's probably pretty awesome to be a smaller band that gets to play there, considering some of the legends that have been up on that stage over the years. We showed up to this show just in time to catch the second opener, Waters. Waters is a local Bay Area band, lead by ex-frontman from the popular Bay Area band Port O'Brien. The music was decent and they tried to keep the audience engaged, which can't be the easiest thing to do. I just wasn't drawn in by this local indie band. I almost felt that it was indie rock verging on 90s rock and the band's look didn't help that perception. The lead guy, Van Pierszalowski, worn a jean jacket with duct tape and looked like a cleaner, more showered version of Kurt Cobain. They almost reminded me of Dinosaur Jr in a way. Maybe they'd be better at a more intimate venue, but they just didn't resonate at the Fillmore.

Delta Spirit on the other hand blew me away. This band originates from San Diego and now resides in Long Beach. Their sound is a mix of indie rock, soul, street and just a twinge of alt country/folk. This tour was supporting their newest album release, "Rounder," which has the song "California" on it, which is one of my favorites of theirs. Delta Spirit dropped their first EP in 2006 and became an instant small band success, opening on tour for bands like Cold War Kids and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. I found a hilarious fun fact on their Wikipedia page, which says they store all their equipment in green plastic totes when they travel for shows. Fans of the movie Delta Force (starring Chuck Norris) have been known to follow the group from show to show. I'll admit, I've always liked them but used them more as background music. They grew on me more with this last album and now after seeing them live, I am officially a fan. They had great stage presence and an almost psychedelic light show.

On an another note, while I'm thinking about SoCal indie bands, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about The White Buffalo. If you're into a blend of indie rock and country, you should check him out!

Fauxcella Fun

While I wasn't able to make it to either Coachella weekend this year, the perk of living in Northern California is that "Fauxchella," which happens in the weeks surrounding Coachella in Southern California. Bands either swing by the Bay Area on their way to or from the festival, or they fly up between weekend to perform. For the full Fauxcella lineup. Sadly, I missed Radiohead when they came up to San Jose but I was able to catch a bunch of other great acts.

Last Wednesday night I caught M.Ward at the Fillmore. The Fillmore is by far one of the best music venues in the city and has so much history. There's concert posters and photos covering all the walls of shows that have happened there since it was built. They keep with traditional, with a bucket of free apples near the entrance and an artistic concert poster on your way out if the show is sold-out. The M.Ward show was one of the more mellow shows I've been to in a while but his music is still danceable. I was surprised that he also played songs from his group projects, Monsters of Folk and She & Him. You can tell his musical skills no matter what he's playing or singing. And the show sold out so I got a beautiful M. Ward poster on the way out with butterflies flying out of a photograph. For more information on The Fillmore.

Last Thursday I went over to Oakland to see Miike Snow at the Fox Theater. The Fox Theater is my favorite venue in the full Bay Area and is definitely worth the trek to Oakland (it's only one block from the BART stop). The opener was Penguin Prison, a band my friends have turned me onto recently. Outside of their name being totally awesome, their songs are bouncy and fun. I didn't make it until halfway through their set but for the songs I did catch, they were energetic and crowd engaging. I heard from other show goers who hadn't heard of them before that they would be checking out their album. I've seen Miike Snow (it's an indie pop group from Sweden, not some guy named Miike) live before at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis when their 2009 album "Miike Snow" came out. This show was to support their second album, "Happy To You." They always put effort into their stage performance. They usually start out in masks and cloaks for the first song or two. There's always crazy light installations and the stage is covered in fog. If you ever have the chance to see them live, definitely do it. They play a mix of slower and more danceable songs, working in a ton of different instruments. The crowd is always engaged and it's just one of those shows that always leaves you wanting a second encore after the first.

This Tuesday I went to see Justice back at the Fox Theater. I've been dying to see Justice live so I was psyched. I have friends who go all over the world to attend their shows, so I knew I was in store for something spectacular. Unfortunately I missed the opener, The Rapture, but I heard good reviews. Justice is an electronic duo out of France. Their know for their signature sound that varies from other electronic groups in that it often incorporates a strong rock beat or indie influence. Their latest album, "Audio, Video, Disco" came out last year. It's pretty good but I'm partial to the older songs off "A Cross the Universe." If you don't think you've ever heard Justice, chances are you've probably heard their most well-known single "D.A.N.C.E." played at some party or bar. Back to the show, as soon as they went on stage the energy level in the place blew up. Their lights were intense (but awesome), filling the mood. Both guys were standing on a stand higher up, so even shorties like me could see them. Their signature giant glowing cross hung in the middle. It was an epic show and I wouldn't have expected any less. If you want the ultimate dance party, you need to see Justice live.

Can't Say No to Free Music

The other week, a media company in town hosted a free show and I am a sucker for free music. The two performers were Bombay Bicycle Club and Geographer. I was going for Bombay Bicycle Club, while everyone I was with was more excited for Geographer. 

Bombay Bicycle Club is an indie-rock band from London, England. The band is comprised of four guys, with the occasional female sit-in for vocals. The quirky band name actually comes from an Indian restaurant chain in Great Britain. They have three albums now and I have to say that their most well-known singles, "Evening/Morning" and " Always Like This" are my favorites. Unfortunately, they weren't that amazing in person. There was lackluster energy, they were all kind of blazed and it was a mess. I think their youth really showed in their stageman-ship. I felt kind of embarrassed that I talked them up so much beforehand. 

After them, Geographer came on. I knew of this band but didn't really know much about them. They're actually based out of San Francisco and are popular enough that they sell large shows across the country, but especially in SF. This band is comprised of three guys and while they're probably technically just classified as an electronic/indie band, I like their self-description best, that their sound is "soulful music from outer space." These sounds are made from drums, synthesizers, guitars and electric cellos. Their songs have been used as backdrop to movie trailers and TV shows, so even people who haven't heard of this band may recognize their unique sound. They were super energetic and into their show. It was almost 80s like, the way they'd dance around with the synth keyboard. I am definitely a fan now and would recommend seeing these guys live.

Rocking It In SF

When I lived in Minnesota, there were never any good shows coming through in January because seriously, who would choose to roll through MN in the dead of winter? Luckily, San Francisco rainy season doesn't scare the music away. I was able to hit two shows in January, which were fun but very different from each other.

The first one we hit was deejay Steve Aoki (also known as Kid Millionaire). He does electro house music and founded his own label (Dim Mak) to release other electro house musicians. Outside of producing and deejaying, he's a club promoter, a restaurant investor and got a college degree in women's studies. He's actually a pretty interesting guy if you check out his Wiki page. I saw Aoki deejay two years ago back at the Fine Line in Minneapolis, which is a fairly small venue. There were maybe 200 people at this show. Now he's headlining (Datsik was the opener and was pretty good, so check him out at Coachella 2012) a show at the Bill Graham Auditorium by the Civic Center in front of thousands of raving fans. Now what I really want to discuss is those raving fans. The show was supposed to be 18+. We walked up the the building and it was clear it was going to be something entirely different. I don't think they were at all enforcing legit ID checks on 15 year-olds having fake IDs that say they're 18. Not only were they super younger, but they were decked out in raver outfits. And these were the cool raver outfits of the 90s, these were Gaga-esque. Apparently the new club ensemble of today's youth is a Victoria's Secret pushup bra and underwear set with fishnets and heels. I was over-dressed and totally okay with it. The actual show was pretty good. Aoki definitely has a stage presence, although I wish he spent more time DJing and less time running around stage, taking Twitpics and throwing cake onto the crowd.

The other show I went to was Fitz & the Tantrums. I hadn't heard of them until 2011's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival but when I saw them there, I was blown away. They were easily my favorite of the weekend. The band's energy is so positive and magnetic. They get the entire audience dancing and waving their hands. The type of music is hard to explain, it's like a combination of American soul, indie, pop and blues. The band was founded in 2008 out of LA and while I'd heard their name around over the years, I'd never really heard them. Michael Fitzpatrick is the lead singer and keyboardist. He puts everything he's got into the performance, so I was super impressed. The one women, Noelle Scaggs, does vocals and percussion and adds that almost bluesy, jazzy soul feel to a lot of the songs. Their January show in San Francisco was at the Regency Ballroom on Van Ness, where I hadn't been before. The space is great and if you get there early, you can snag a seat on the upper level with a great view. Fitz & the Tantrums played two nights in a row and while I'm not sure if they were sold out, it was definitely packed. Check out this band live if you can!

The Kills in Oakland

Last Friday night The Kills were playing at the Fox Theater in Oakland, so we went to check them out. I'd never seen them live before but had heard of crazy (and most likely drunk) antics going down at shows in the past (ala Lollapalooze '98), so I was interested to see what we were in for. The Kills is a two person rock band, with American signer Alison Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince. Hince just got married to supermodel Kate Moss. I'm not a huge fan of Moss, but I saw their wedding photos in the September issue of Vogue and it looked like it was an absolutely gorgeous event. Mosshart is also the front woman from Jack White's band The Dead Weather.

We got to Oakland a little early and went in search for a place to grab some dinner before the show. We ended up a punk diner next to the theater, Can't Fail Cafe. It was tasty, I definitely recommend going there is you're in the area. I had their special Meter Maid Margarita, which was a strong margarita muddled with cucumber and jalapeno. Sounds odd, but it was one of the best margs I've ever had. Chris got the breakfast burger and I got the Sante Fe, both of which were flavorful and fairly priced. After that, we headed to the show. The Fox Theater is definitely becoming one of my favorite places to see shows. They keep it up well and with all the levels, you can usually see the stage from wherever you end up, even if you're 5'5 like me.

We only caught the last song of the first opener, Mini Mansions, but I liked it and will definitely show up for them next time they're on tour. The second opener was Eleanor Friedberger, a folky yet funky singer with a great voice. Maybe it was just the hair, but she reminded me a lot of Zooey Deschanel. Then it was time for The Kills. Their stage was simple but awesome. The backdrop was solid leopard print that changed colors with the lights throughout the show. I had a slight girl crush on Mosshart before from photos I'd seen. She seemed like a bad ass with great fashion sense and her voice was awesome when I saw The Dead Weather from a distance at Coachella two years ago. I think my girl crush is going to continue because she's an amazing performer. She was dancing around stage the whole time and was magnetic to watch. Hince kept up the energy on his end and they seemed to have great musical chemistry. They played all my favorites from a variety of their albums. All in all, a great show.

When hipster meets hood

Sunday night we went to the Kid Cudi show at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. In terms of the venue, it was your typical auditorium. It feels kind of like you're in an airport hanger meets high school gym. We had floor tickets and the stage was not raised at all, so I could barely see. Chip da Rip opened for Kudi. I'd never heard of him but it wasn't bad. Cudi live is a great experience. He gets the crowd going and is high energy the whole time, jumping around and doing three songs straight. Kid Cudi did all of my favorite songs from all three of his albums. The man is a brilliant lyrcist and he doesn't shy away from showing emotion through his music. I still think my favorite is Pursuit of Happiness, but Soundtrack 2 My Life is really good too. He shows a lot of video footage in the background of him smoking weed and encourages the audience to do the same. But apparently he's 3 months "sober" from weed now, so it's kind of a mixed message. The best thing about the Kid Cudi show was the people watching. He's more indie hip hop (using bands like MGMT on some of his songs), so he gets the hipsters decked out in their shades ala Cudi-style, as well as the regular hip hop crowd. Watching the two different groups inter mingle is kind of hilarious.

Matt + Kim rock it in Oakland

Saturday night we trekked over to catch the Matt + Kim show at the Fox Theater. This was my first time at the Fox Theater and definitely won't be my last. The theater had a gorgeous interior, which bars all over the place so you never have to wait in line and it was possible to have a good view from almost any vantage point. As for the show itself, seeing Matt and Kim is always a good time. This couple (as in actual couple, they're dating but don't flaunt it) hails from Brooklyn. Kim rocks the drums with gusto and Matt harmonizes with fun pop synth melodies on the piano. I've seen them a couple shows now and they've gone from playing in front of a couple hundred in a dive club in Minneapolis, to Coachella in 2010, to this show which had to be at least a thousand people. They're very good at engaging the audience. I really like how they talk to the audience. They throw out balloons to blow up and throw around confetti. Kim actually stood on the hands of the crowd and did her booty shake dance. My boyfriend said Kim came off as fake, but I like her. Badass girl drummers definitely top the cool list in my book. I think they are more fun to see in a smaller venue, but I can't fault them for their success. It's amazing the sounds they can make from just a drum and electric piano!

Atmosphere outside of Minneapolis

One of my favorite artists of all-time is Atmosphere, a two-man hip hop group coming out of Rhymesayers in Minneapolis. I love seeing Atmosphere at First Ave in Minneapolis because they always give their hometown a lot of love. I've seen them in Milwaukee and Chicago and so far no show has lived up to the Minneapolis ones. This Saturday Atmosphere played the Greek Theater in Berkeley, CA. It's the largest show Atmosphere has ever headlined according to this article. I kind of wonder about this stat because he's the headliner at Soundset, which seems a lot larger. Anyway, the Greek Theater is amazing. This stone amphitheater is nestled in the hills next to the Berkeley campus. There's really not a bad view in the place. You can stand in the pit, sit on the stone steps or sit on the grassy hill above. Greives, a newcomer to the Rhymesayers family was the first opener, and my favorite by far. His CD is releasing later in June and promises to be a unique sound with horns, keys and guitar. Blueprint was up next and I've never been a huge fan of his sound. After that was Aesop Rock, who I really haven't followed recently and only knew his old school stuff. Finally as the sun set it was time for Ant and Slug to take the stage. They actually had an artistic set this time, which I have never seen them do before. The backdrop was very Minnesotan, a portrait of snow, birch trees, a cardinal and barn. Then they had 3D birch trees that glowed different colors set up on stage. It looked super cool, so I hope the continue with set design. Slug started out with some older material, getting the crowd going before he segmented into some songs from the new album, "The Family Sign." It was a little slow for my taste as his newer material is more deep and personal. But after that he went right back into some energetic tracks. He had the crowd going and I love the dialog he has with his audience. Of course he came out for an encore, as he always does graciously. I would say outside of his Minneapolis shows, this is the best show of his I've seen.

This was probably the only time I will meet Californians who will be envious that I am from Minneapolis....

Amazing band. Amazing show.

Last Friday night I went to the best show I've been to in quite a while. I went to see Rural Alberta Advantage at First Ave. First off, in regards to the band, I have loved them for years and been dying to see them. The last time they came to Minneapolis was two winters ago and they played the 7th Street Entry, which sold out at the door before I could get there. Rural Alberta Advantage is a folk/indie rock band hybrid from Toronto (hence the Canadian name). They are made up of three members. The band was formed in 2005 and dropped their first full-length album, "Hometowns," in 2008. I loved every single song off "Hometowns." They cover so many different sounds on the album, from a more rock edge on "Drain the Blood," to the haunting romantic melody of "Don't Haunt This Place," to the whimsical song "In the Summertime." It has a song on it for almost every mood. Their new album, "Departing," dropped in March 2011 and from what I've heard so far, I love it just as much as the first one. It's just as personal and haunting, detailing out the frustrations of small-town life. My favorite songs off it so far are "Stamps" and "North Star."

The RAA Homepage

Their show at First Ave on Friday night was amazing. They sold out the mainroom and apparently it was the biggest show they've ever played. They were so genuine and grateful for everyone coming and so excited to play the show. The crowd knew every song and sang along. During the show, they did one cover song. It was "Eye of the Tiger," which sounded great with their spin on it. The drummer, Paul Banwatt, played his heart out, dripping sweat over his drumset. The band came back for multiple encores and pretty much played every song they had until they ran out, otherwise I believe they would have kept playing. At the very end, they came off stage, went through the crowd, and went up the stairs to the platform in the middle overlooking the floor. There they played their last song, completely unplugged. It was "Good Night," from their newest album. The place was so quiet, just so everyone could hear and after they were done broke out into thunderous applause. The band informed everyone that after the show they'd be back at the merch table and wanted to meet as many people as possible. That right there is amazing. When is the last time a band who sold out the mainroom gone to hang out at the merch table after the show??

I can't express how much I love this band. They gave me the perfect last First Ave show to hold me over until I make it back to Minneapolis for a visit.

The Girl Talk Get-Down

Last night I went to the first of two sold out Girl Talk shows at First Ave. Girl Talk is a one man DJ, Gregg Gillis, who takes popular songs from different musical genres and makes dance party mashups. I saw him two Novembers ago when he came to First Ave after releasing "Feed The Animals," and I knew I had to see him when he came back. In 2010 he released "All Day," which was free to download online. Can I just say I love when artists do this? It just shows that they're all about getting their music to the people and that's what matters. And is Girl Talk going to go broke for this? No way! That man is playing sold out shows across the country. His show last night was amazing. First off, he comes out in sweatpants and a zip-up hoodie, which is just awesome. First Ave was packed to the walls with dancing hipsters. Everyone had their hands in the air the entire show. He was playing new hits and old hits. They were throwing out glowsticks, balloons, confetti, and toilet paper like there was no tomorrow. The lights were awesome. Everything about the show was electric. My only complaint would be the people he lets dance up on stage. They're coming right up to the edge of the stage, so you can't see him deejay is you're standing to one of the sides. Otherwise, awesome, it was one of my favorite shows in the last year. I came out of First Ave drenched with sweat. That's when you know it's been a good night!

Concert Review: Murs

Last night we went to the Fine Line in downtown Minneapolis to see Murs perform. While Murs may be a rapper from California, he'll always have a strong fan-base in the Midwest because of his part in Felt (group formed by Murs and Slug, who have different deejays produce their LPs). And during the show, he definitely made it clear that he respects what Minneapolis is doing with hip hop. I thought Murs' set was great. He was very energetic. He did all he songs we wanted to hear. He engaged the audience, but didn't spend too much time talking in between songs.  My only qualm with this show was his openers. I've noticed this with quite a few indie hip hop artists. I like the hip hop that is prolific, full of impressive vocabulary, pop culture references, and political undertones. There is a ton of really smart hip hop out there. However, a lot of these artists go on tour and get openers who don't match their feel or fan base at all. The openers for Murs were Tabi Bonney and Whole Wheat Bread. While Tabi at least matched Murs in energy and hometown pride, both openers were bordering a little too close to rap. There is a distinct difference between rap and hip hop, and openers need to be chosen more carefully for hip hop shows. We don't come to see rap. Artists, pick people who match your sound. Don't just pick them because they're your friends.

CD Release: Sims' "Bad Time Zoo"

Last Saturday night I went to the Fine Line for Sims' new CD Release. Sims is part of the popular Minneapolis hip hop group, Doomtree, who I'm a huge fan of. Everyone in Doomtree has a solo act outside of the group, and while all are pretty good, Sims is my favorite by far. It's probably because I have a huge soft spot for liberal-leaning politically-fueled rhymes. His new CD is "Bad Time Zoo"and so far I love what I've heard. My favorite track is "One Dimensional Man," which calls out liberals who are really just phoning it in as they think they should instead of really trying to make a difference. Lazerbeak is back on the CD with Sims, creating those heavy beats he's known for and excels at. The show itself was great. It was like a deconstruction of Doomtree, with everyone pulling out their solo acts leading up to Sims. Their support for him is undeniable. It's so nice to see a group where egos are in check and everyone supports and promotes each other. That's a rare thing to find in hip hop these days.

Robyn: Concert Review

Last night I went to see Robyn at First Ave. Many of you probably recognize this Swedish pop stars name from her hits from the 90s (ala "Show Me Love") but her new album "Body Talk" made a lot of the Top Albums of 2010 lists. It was released in three parts, and when pieced together, it makes the perfect dance anthem album. My favorite song is probably "Dancing On My Own." I was a little nervous because she canceled all of her shows before this in Chicago due to illness, but luckily must have recovered in time for her Minneapolis show. On stage, her look was funky, she danced like a maniac the entire show, and the stage featured giant spinning pinwheels. It was high energy and a total blast. I would go see her again in a heartbeat.